Texans Gameday Central: Titans’ late score too little too late

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The Texans toyed with the Tennessee Titans just enough to get their hopes up Sunday at Reliant Stadium, but an impressive second-half performance on both sides of the ball turned a close game into a 38-14 blowout.

The Texans improved their record to 4-0 going into their next game at the New York Jets, a prime-time confrontation before the nation’s largest media market. And what might the New York media see – a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

The Texans began Sunday with a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, allowed the Titans to reduce the deficit to seven at halftime. Then the Texans got their mad on and destroyed the Titans in the second half.

The resurgence began when Manning intercepted Matt Hasselbeck’s pass and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown to give the Texans a 21-7 lead in the third quarter.

The next time the Texans got the ball, they went 75 yards in seven plays. Matt Schaub threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to tight end Owen Daniels, who broke two tackles to reach the end zone.

On Tennessee’s next series, Antonio Smith sacked Hasselbeck, who fumbled. J.J. Watt recovered and returned the ball to the 25. Smith’s sack and Watt’s return didn’t set up a touchdown, but Shayne Graham kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it 31-7 with six minutes left in the game.

Then Jackson picked off Hasselbeck and scored easily down the right side to give the Texans a 38-7 advantage.

The Texans had trouble stopping running back Chris Johnson, who entered the game with 45 yards on 33 carries. At halftime, he had 58 yards on 10 carries. He reached 116 yards on 22 carries with three minutes left.

Playing the last series against a lot of the Texans’ reserves on defense, the Titans scored their second touchdown on Hasselbeck’s pass to rookie Kendall Wright.

- John McClain

First-half analysis

The Texans lead 14-7 in the first half, but they have not played nearly as well as they should have considering they are playing the Titans (1-2).

Tennessee entered the game allowing more points than any team in the league. The Texans scored two quick touchdowns in the first quarter and took off the rest of the first half.

The Texans might have done the Titans a favor when a blitzing Glover Quin knocked quarterback Jake Locker out of the game with an injury to his left shoulder. His replacement, Matt Hasselbeck, quickly took the Titans to their only touchdown, a 19-yard pass to tight end Craig Stevens that pulled Tennessee within seven points.

The defense has allowed only one touchdown, but it’s making running back Chris Johnson look like he’s headed for the Pro Bowl again. Johnson came in with 45 yards on 33 carries. He has 10 carries for 58 yards. His linemen are blowing the Texans off the ball.

The Titans have to be especially happy with the first half because they are within seven points against the only unbeaten team in the AFC. As for the Texans, they should be embarrassed.

- John McClain

First-quarter analysis

Stop the presses!

Gary Kubiak won a challenge.

Quarterback Matt Schaub threw a short pass over the middle to Keshawn Martin on third-and-1 at the Tennessee 13. Martin was pulled down as he went out of bounds. The measurement was short. On the challenge, the ball was spotted again, and the Texans got a first down at the 11.

Arian Foster ran for seven and then scored on a four-yard run to give the Texans a 14-0 lead with time remaining in the first quarter.

The Texans scored on two of their three possessions. The defense didn’t give up squat with Jake Locker at quarterback. Locker was knocked out of the game when he was drilled on a blitz by free safety Glover Quin.

Quin hit Locker in the shoulder and drove him to the ground. Locker is questionable to return with an injury to his left shoulder.